Start-up brings e-commerce circularity to UK in Royal Mail partnership

Movopack has raised £2 million (US$2.5 million) in a seed funding round to tackle e-commerce packaging waste in the UK. The seed funding was led by early-stage investor 360 Capital, with participation from Greiner Innoventures and Techstars. 

Movopack provides e-commerce platforms with circular and sustainable packaging and the funding will turbocharge its official launch in the UK — the company’s first expansion outside of Italy — to help tackle a growing packaging waste crisis, where an estimated 1.7 billion pieces of plastic are discarded weekly. 

Movopack’s packaging, made from recycled plastic bottles (rPET) and woven recycled PP, is designed to endure postal handling and can be reused by retailers up to 20 times. 

The UK expansion marks an important milestone as British retailers increasingly prioritize approaches that align with corporate environmental goals and consumer demand for eco-conscious options.

Tomaso Torriani, CEO and co-founder of Movopack, comments: “This funding round demonstrates the growing enthusiasm for Movopack’s potential to transform the e-commerce industry with sustainable, circular packaging solutions. We’re particularly excited about this investment as it enables us to launch in the UK at a time when the demand for sustainable solutions has never been stronger.”

“Consumers and brands alike are seeking impactful ways to contribute to a world where societies and economies can grow and thrive without compromising the environment — and we are here to meet that need. At Movopack, we’re working on making sustainability not just an option but a standard in e-commerce.”

 Movopack packages can be reused 20 times.Sustainable and convenient 

Movopack’s UK launch will allow consumers to easily return packaging through the Royal Mail postal system, providing access to any of its 115,000 postboxes across the country. The infrastructure is said to ensure a seamless return process, helping UK retailers adopt Movopack’s circular packaging while offering a sustainable solution that is convenient for their customers.

Compared to standard e-commerce packaging, which typically uses single-use cardboard with 70% recycled content, each Movopack package can be reused 20 times.

This alternative to single-use packaging reduces CO2 emissions by 84%, energy consumption by 80% and water consumption by 76%, according to a Life Cycle Assessment conducted by Life Cycle Engineering.

Lucrezia Lucotti, partner at 360 Capital, says: “To date, sustainable packaging for e-commerce has garnered growing attention. However, it continues to be marked by fragmentation and, notably, a lack of digital integration.”

“We are backing the movement to make e-commerce more sustainable through our investment in Movopack’s returnable e-commerce packaging. As they launch in the UK, we believe Movopack is perfectly positioned to lead the charge in transforming how brands implement sustainable practices, and we are glad to support their mission.”

Lukas Seemann, senior investment manager at Greiner Innoventures, adds: “Our investment in Movopack reflects our commitment to driving innovation within the packaging industry, particularly in offering sustainable approaches. By supporting Movopack, we are investing in a promising start-up dedicated to reusable packaging solutions, which aligns with our strategic focus on circular economy initiatives.”